10 Time Management Tips to Increase Productivity

The importance of time management is never taken seriously by most people till they end up in a crisis situation. With good time management it will be possible to balance your work, reduce stress and increase productivity. With productivity playing such a vital role in the success of any business or in the lives of people it is natural that good time management has an even greater role to play. Here then are the Ten tips to success.

1. Plan Your Work

Plan your work on a monthly, weekly and daily basis. This will make you aware in advance what you are in for. Prepare a to-do-list every day and identify those tasks that are more important.

2. Prioritize your tasks

With too many tasks to handle, you can get confused knowing not where to start and how to complete them before the day is over. Sit quietly and identify the tasks you consider as urgent, important and unimportant. Prioritize them in this manner and start working in the order of priority. Do not waste your time on unimportant tasks.

3. Best Time for Difficult Tasks

When there are difficult tasks to handle always do it at the time of the day when your mind is fresh and alert. This will enable you to get over the problem and put you in a great frame of mind for the rest of the day thus increasing productivity.

4. Seek Outside Help

If however you find some tasks too daunting or beyond your capabilities it will be wise to seek outside help or professional help and continue with your other tasks. This is the best way to be productive and avoid stress.

5. Do One Thing at a Time

In spite of having prioritized your work, you may yet find quite a few tasks that need your immediate attention. The very thought of having to handle all of them can be very stressful. Stop worrying. You must first accept the fact that you cannot do all the tasks at the same time however urgent and important they might be. Do one thing at a time, complete it and move on to the next urgent task. Thus you will be able to avoid stress and increase productivity.

6. Avoid Procrastination

The tendency to procrastinate commences when you start postponing the difficult jobs and do the easier ones. Over a period of time these will snowball into unmanageable proportions. If there are difficult tasks to do, seek external help and ensure that the tasks are completed. Never ever allow procrastination to take control of your life.

7. Learn to Say No

One of the important tips you should be aware to manage time efficiently is to cultivate the art of saying NO as and when the occasion demands. Saying No to certain requests can save you valuable time which can be utilized in a productive manner. Say it diplomatically, politely and firmly without hurting the feelings of the people concerned.

8. Delegate

If you have subordinates working under you, you can delegate some of your work to them. The secret of success of this time management strategy is to identify the correct persons and the jobs that could be delegated to them. This is a smart way of increasing productivity.

9. Take a Break from Work

Avoid working continuously for long periods of time. Too much stress can be harmful to your health and is unproductive. Take a break, do some stretches or go out for a short walk. If you are over stressed and find your energy sapping, go out on a short vacation and return reenergized and revitalized.

10. Sleep Well

How well you sleep at night will be reflected on how emotionally balanced and productive you are during your working hours. Leading a healthy lifestyle and sleeping well will motivate you to remain focused on your work and manage your time efficiently.

Conclusion

Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains but due to failure to recognize the importance of time management. The above ten tips will guide you to success.

About the author: Kanaga Siva is an Expert Author and Marketer. He operates a successful Internet Home Based Business through his Business From Home Website and Business From Home Ideas Blog. For more Tips, Advice and to operate a successful Home Based Business visit his Website and Blog.

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I completely agree, but as goes for routine, I find that mixing things up every once in a while can help alot. Another thing is to outsource the labour intensive stuff so you can move faster. I’ve hired a couple of copywriters through elance, and it has really given me so much more time to focus on the important stuff. People usually think that outsourcing is stupid when they can do the job them selves, but you really need to consider how much your time is worth